Andy Murray is Safe
Blues fans have been chattering about Andy Murray being in trouble as Blues coach. There’s nothing to it. Chairman Dave Checketts and team president John Davidson completely support Murray. Besides, he signed a four-year contract and this is only year two. At the very least, Murray has next season, his third, to correct the Blues’ anemic offense and power play. If the Blues are struggling a year from now, then we can have a legitimate discussion about Murray’s future.
It is frustrating to watch this team sputter offensively through too many games.
The other day in my column, I relayed my statistical research that showed the weakness of the Blues’ power play from a historical standpoint. The PP success rates over the last two seasons are the lowest in franchise history excluding 1967-68. (The data for that season is incomplete.)
But what about goals, any kind of goals?
As of now, this is the fourth-lowest scoring team in Blues history:
Lowest goals/game, St. Louis Blues history:
1. 2003-2004, 2.33
2. 2005-2006, 2.35
3. 1967-68, 2.39
4. 2007-2008, 2.43.
Some historical context is required because the NHL as a whole does not generate as many goals as the league did in the olden days.
But here’s a simple question: How can you expect to score if you don’t shoot the puck?
Since 1982-83, STATS LLC has been keeping track of shots on goal per game.
And since then, these last two teams have recorded the lowest shots-on-goal average any Blues teams.
This season’s average of 26.1 shots on goal per game ranks at the bottom since ‘82-83.
And the second-smallest total occured last season, when the Blues averaged 26.9 shots per game.
Sure, some of this is related to talent. The Blues need a top centerman. They need a finisher around the net. They need a defenseman who can provide a boost in the offensive zone; Erik Johnson will eventually develop into that guy.
But it seems to me that the Blues are too passive offensively.
Shoot the puck.
Pounce on some rebounds.
Thanks for reading…
–B
Thanks, Bernie. Certainly they don’t shoot enough, but they also lack size and strength to dictate play in the offensive zone. They rarely if ever get clean shots from the high slot, and rebound goals are too rare. Except for a few exceptions, Blues forwards get pushed off the puck too easily.
Honestly, whether shots on goal are truly correlated to goals themselves or not, I think more research needs to be done for a new category such as “scoring chances.” Shots on goal from 40 feet out with nobody creating traffic, deflecting them, or blocking the goalie’s line of sight are only numbers. The Blues have had many games where they have out-shot their opponents only to lose. It’s not about shots-on-goal, people! It’s about the quality OF those shots!
Patience……. The matured players are all showing they are on the way down. The kids haven’t arrived. I really don’t think we will see what we have until the “Walts” and all others nearing my age have left. Two more years will truly grow the kids up. By then, with a couple of free agent signings, we’ll be talking about all the taco nights at the Scott.
You know I was all caught up with the arrival of Oshie, Berglund and maybe a couple more rookies next season but as long as JD sticks with AM distrust of youth, not unlike TLR, and his “dumb” style of dump-chase-trap-dump-line change boring hockey style the whole discussion is moot. I know JD thinks you can’t get out of the Western conference unless you dump and chase but I disagree. Entertaining the fans, gaining corporate support back, increasing the value of the franchise and securing the long term future of hockey in STL is more important and I believe a puck possession team can win the CUP.
I have nothing personally against AM but he is not the right guy for this job. If the Blues were a team full of seasoned veterans who had the size needed to play out from the wall and were previously conditioned to play dump and chase hockey I have no doubt AM would be successful…at least 5on5 (no, Ray Bennett you don’t get a pass). Unfortunately the current roster, and the kids arriving soon, have no experience playing AM’s chosen style of play nor we have the guys with the size needed to succeed in such a system in Kariya, McDonald, Stempniak and Perron etc. The Blues, or at least now that were out of the playoffs, should be taking advantage of the speed on the team to force the tempo instead of AM adjusting the lines game to game, shift to shift to “supposedly” counter the opposition’s advantage. Playing scared is no way to take the ice and I laugh at why the team has tuned AM out and guys like Stempniak are seem lost out there.
AM and his staff have to go first for the rebuild and the development of our kids to proceed. This year has been a total waste, other than maybe EJ who AM seems to trust, IMO. A new coach and staff must be brought in who will implement a PUCK POSSESSION system to compliment the type of players JARMO IS DRAFTING and more importantly create a ENTERTAINING STYLE of play for the novice fans who make up the majority unfortunately. Mr. Checketts, under AM’s control your product has become boring not to mention the lack regression and lack of development for several players.
I already see the euphoria over your arrival is ending with novice fans and the media, after once building the franchise up, is ready to pounce….please take note! JD must bring in a new coach who has PATIENCE to coach a kid and the character to show TRUST & CONFIDENCE in them when they make a mistake during the development period over the next few years.
Otherwise….. another year will be wasted next season. I know it may seem a bad business decision to let a guy go with 3 years on his contract but cut your losses before perceptions change. The media will kill the product by changing perceptions and once again it will not be “cool” for novice fans to go to games. Just eat the money JD and admit AM was a bad fit for a young team to rebuild…..your ahead enough on the score card to take the hit.
Let AM go and correct the problem. Don’t let this fester……please!!!
4- this appears to be true from others observing the bluenote. If you are dedicated to youth, yet employ a style that few younger players are being taught…Frankly it is a boring system and it has led to many a coach’s demise(including here). Compound it with a lack of patience on a youthful team and I can’t see players getting better either. Even if you’re a young, talented 2 way player in this system,are you going to sign elsewhere once you’re a free agent? I think that question alone is worth scrutiny, before 2 more years have elapsed.
Before the Blue’s training camp opened, the talk was this team only had a few roster spots open. As the season comes to a close, this team is in need influx of new faces. It has proven the current crop of players are not the answer. When camp opens for the upcoming season, there needs to be several openings, and current players wondering if they will make the team, instead of thinking they already have made the team.
Jessie…
You weave a web of lies! Lies I say….
Wild Bill…
Did you get this off MSN?…